


Barking up the wrong tree

by halfeatenmoon



Category: Hockey RPF
Genre: Carolina Hurricanes, Fic Exchange, Gen, RPF, Werewolves
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2012-07-25
Updated: 2012-07-25
Packaged: 2017-11-10 17:05:51
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 3,020
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/468660
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/halfeatenmoon/pseuds/halfeatenmoon
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>Eric Staal isn't sure why Jeff acts the way he does sometimes, and he really isn't sure whether it's any of his business as captain. But with some nudging from his brothers, he starts to put the pieces together.</p>
            </blockquote>





	Barking up the wrong tree

**Author's Note:**

  * For [james](https://archiveofourown.org/users/james/gifts).



> I really, really tried to write you a Sharks fic but I developed some Sharks-related fourth wall problems. I hope this is just as satisfying!

For months and months, it never occurred to Eric that there was something odd about the way Jeff acted sometimes. He was a young guy, he was excitable, and he was affectionate. Sure, there weren't that many people he'd played with who acted like it was a perfectly normal thing to greet someone with a gentle headbutt (or occasionally, mostly when he'd had a drink, licking the side of someone's face) or a fondness for leaning all over people when they were just hanging out. Some of these younger guys liked being affectionate, that was all.

Nor did he find Jeff's occasional rages... well, tantrums... all that surprising. Irritating, yes, but not surprising. Plenty of guys in the hockey world got angry and got violent during games. He realised, too, that as such a small player, Jeff had probably had to learn to stick up for himself like that. It was a position, as much as anything, making himself look bigger than he was, making sure bigger guys wouldn't push him around. It wasn't that unusual, or a particularly big problem. It was annoying when he got penalised (or suspended, for goodness sake, what was he thinking with that kick?) but off the ice, Jeff was always suitably penitent afterwards, perfectly willing to just stand there and take it when Eric frowned and told him to try to be more responsible in future. Even if it was getting harder to keep lecturing him like that when Jeff had perfected the wounded-puppy-who-just-wants-to-be-good look. But Eric wasn't captain for nothing. He could handle it.

It was only when they went out after a road game one night and Eric realised that Jeff was nowhere to be seen that he started to think something was amiss.

"Hey," he said, sidling up to Peters at the bar and trying not to look too concerned. "What happened to Skinner?"

"Probably back at the hotel," Peters shrugged. "Don't know what he's up to. He went and got his own room tonight. I didn't ask."

"But he's okay?"

"Yeah, he seemed fine to me. I wouldn't worry about it."

"Have you met Eric?" Cam snorted, appearing suddenly to clap Justin on the back. "Eric lives to worry. It's why he's a captain. If he wasn't doing all that worrying..."

Eric just sighed and turned away. "Thanks, Justin."

"You going to check up on the rookie, Captain?" Cam yelled.

"No, I'm going to have another drink," Eric snorted. "And I'm not getting any for you."

He did end up going to the hotel pretty soon afterwards, though, and just had a quick word at reception to check which room Jeff was in, just in case there was an emergency. And if he had to pass Jeff's room on the way to his own, well, he may as well knock on the door and see if there was anything he could do. But there wasn't even a sound from behind the door, and Eric was satisfied that he'd fulfilled his captainly responsibilities enough for tonight.

He did knock his shoulder against Jeff's when they were leaving in the morning, and managed to catch him at the back of the line to get on the bus.

"Justin told me about your rooming situation last night, and I just wanted to..."

Instantly, Jeff seemed to bristle, like a cat trying to make itself look bigger. "I paid for it myself!"

"I know, I know, it's fine." Eric tentatively patted his shoulder. He was aiming for reassuring, but still slightly scared of the way Jeff looked as though he was about to bite him. "I just wanted to check that you were okay, that's all."

"Oh." Jeff just looked at his feet. "Yep. I'm fine."

"You sure? Because if you need help with anything, you can always come to me."

Jeff laughed quietly and shook his head. "Thanks, but I really don't think so."

"Okay then." Eric slapped him on the shoulder again, more confidently this time. "But hey, next time you need a room to yourself, maybe you should give someone a spare key. Just in case something happens, you know?"

"You think I'm going to oversleep and miss the bus, don't you?"

"Hey, it happens to everyone some time."

"Well, okay then, captain," Jeff grinned, and knocked their shoulders together, resting his chin on Eric's shoulder for a moment. "Next time I'll be more careful, I promise."

Then he bounded up the stairs to the bus and Eric did his best to turn his thoughts to the next game.

 

Eric was hesitant to bring the incident up with anyone else. It wasn't as though Jeff was playing any differently - whatever was going on with him obviously hadn't affected his game, and if it was personal, it wasn't any of his business. He didn't want to start any speculation or get anyone else bothering Jeff. But he couldn't help worrying, at least a little bit, and if there was nobody else he could talk to, he could trust his brothers to understand and to keep it to themselves. Though he couldn't always trust them to take it seriously.

"Jeez, Eric, he's just hooking up." Jordy rolled his eyes and took another swig of his beer. The four of them had all just flown home for Christmas, probably the last time they'd all see each other until the summer. "He's probably hooking up _all the time_. I mean, he's young, he's good at hockey and he's really cute. I mean, you know, to girls. Who are into that."

Marc eyed Jordy for a moment, but he was nodding. "Or maybe he just likes some privacy once in a while. He lives with another guy from your team, right?"

It didn't really shake Eric's concern, but they made sense, and he was probably just worrying too much. He was prepared to drop it until Jared piped up and said "Is this anything to do with Skinner's weird thing for you?"

Suddenly Jordy and Marc looked a lot more interested.

"I honestly have no idea what you're talking about."

"He had a team party at his place after their last game," Jared explained, "And I went up since I was done in Charlotte and I was coming back here for Christmas." He turned to Eric. "He follows you around like a puppy. How can you not notice? Doesn't he get under your feet?"

Eric blinked at him. "He looks up to me, I guess. And I mean, his stall is next to mine. He probably just feels more comfortable with me."

"Well, he obviously feels comfortable enough to jump on you. While you're sitting down. And then lie there with his head in your lap while you pat his hair."

Oh. Eric sort of remembered that. They'd had a few drinks by then. "Okay, maybe it looks weird if you don't know Jeff. But he's like that all the time, with _everyone_. He's just very... friendly. And loyal. And..."

"I told you, like a _puppy_ ," Jared said to the other two.

Jordy snickered, but Marc was frowning now. And after what seemed like a great internal struggle, he said "Maybe Skinner's a werewolf."

They all laughed at that, Eric included, but Marc wasn't smiling.

"Look, I know it sounds stupid," said Marc, seriously, "But it sounds like he really does act like a wolf sometimes, and if there was a full moon when he was on the road, it makes sense that he'd want his own room, right?"

Eric really didn't want to think about how a team captain was supposed to deal with a werewolf teammate, but this was making a bizarre amount of sense. And Marc really seemed to know what he was talking about. "You know someone who's a werewolf, don't you?"

"What? No!" said Marc, hurriedly. "I've definitely never played on a team with a werewolf"

"Woah, really?" Jordy sat up straight and stared at him. "There's a werewolf on the Rangers? Does he have super strength? Is that cheating?""

"I'm sure it's not cheating," Eric frowned. "That must be difficult sometimes, though. How does he cope with night games?"

"What? No, I swear there is no werewolf on the Rangers, and if there were, I swear we wouldn't have trouble managing his anger problems or..."

"Woah. No way." Jordy gaped. " _Sean Avery_ is a werewolf?"

"No!"

"Wait," said Eric, concerned. "If Avery got traded all those times because he's a werewolf, isn't that discrimination?"

"I bet Geno's a werewolf," Jordy said, darkly. "That'd explain why he growled at me when I checked Sid in practice that time."

For a minute, they all just sat there in silence. 

"Maybe it's a good thing I didn't make the NHL," Jared said, at last. "You guys are all weird."

No matter how convincing Marc seemed up in Thunder Bay, it was hard to believe the werewolf theory once Eric got back to Carolina. Jeff was just a normal kid having a great first season in the NHL, even if he was a bit more affectionate that most of the guys - or angry, when the mood took him. Eric kept an eye on him for a few weeks, but there was absolutely nothing wrong with him, and as the season wore on, that conversation with his brothers over Christmas faded completely from Eric's mind. He'd completely forgotten about it by the time they got to their last road trip of the season and Jeff stopped him in the hotel lobby on their way to the game.

"Hey, captain," said Jeff, and held out a key card.

Eric stared at it for a moment. "Am I supposed to know what that is?"

"I booked my own room again," said Jeff, awkwardly. "Remember, back last year, you said if I did that again I should let someone know. So I got a spare key, in case anything happens."

"Oh." Eric took the card and stared at for a moment, before he realised that Jeff was staring nervously at him. "Hey, thanks, buddy. You know you can tell me if you need anything else, right?"

Jeff beamed at him in relief. "Of course. But I'm fine." He wriggled his way under Eric's arm and grabbed him around the waist. "Is it time to go play hockey yet?"

Eric ruffled his hair, turning things over in his mind. "Let's go play hockey."

 

They lost. That was _probably_ the reason Jeff took off so quickly after the game, Eric told himself. And whatever Eric's deal was, it was none of his business. It wasn't like he could follow Jeff back to the hotel, anyway, not when he had captain's duties to do, seeing everyone back to the hotel and then to the bar for commiseration drinks afterwards. But just like he had four months ago, he found himself taking a cab back to the hotel early and walking past Jeff's door.

There was no answer when he knocked, which was fair enough. Jeff could be asleep. But when Eric put his hear to the door, he was sure he could hear someone in there moving around. And he should walk away and leave him alone, but he wanted to make sure Jeff was okay after the thumping they got that night, and... look, he was only human. Sometimes he got curious. He'd try once more and walk away.

"Jeff?" he called out, uncertainly, and knocked on the door. "Jeff, are you still up?"

And then he definitely heard a canine-sounding bark.

He looked at the key card in his hand. If Jeff really was a werewolf, if he'd gotten another room so he could transform, then walking in there might not be safe at all. A fully-grown wolf could rip his throat out. Or possibly turn him into a wolf too - that was how these thing worked, right? But on the other hand, surely Jeff wouldn't have given him the key if there was any danger. And besides, Eric was just dying to _know_. So he swiped the card, gripped the handle and slipped through the door, ready to bolt at the slightest sign of danger.

He almost ran as soon as he set foot inside. All he saw was a grey blur rushing towards him, and he panicked and bumped into the edge of the door, then buckled over, swearing. Then the warm grey body hit his legs, he could feel claws scrabbling against his leg, and a high pitched yapping filled the air. Eric looked down to see, grinning at him with his tongue lolling out, a fuzzy grey dog so small it didn't even come up to his knee.

"Jeff?" he asked, in disbelief.

The dog barked happily in reply and jumped at him, trying to claw his wa up Eric's legs.

"Shit," Eric muttered, and kicked the door shut. Then he knelt down and tried to pat Jeff's head, although the little dog was so excited that he just about knocked Eric over despite his tiny size. Eric finally lay down on his side on one of the beds, where Jeff hopped up to join him, licking his face a few times before settling down at Eric's side.

"This is ridiculous," Eric said. "You're, what, a miniature poodle?"

Jeff growled warningly.

"I'm not going to make fun of you! Jeez. It's just... I was expecting a full-grown wolf to tear me apart, you know? And stop chewing my shirt."

Jeff whined, but he stopped.

"Well, I'm glad you're okay," Eric sighed, and scratched his ears. "I promise I won't tell anyone. We can talk about it in the morning, okay? I have to get to bed."

What followed was a brief tussle that involved Jeff sitting on Eric's chest and putting on the most piteous performance of whining ever seen, then getting a mouthful of Eric's pants when he tried to leave and refusing to let go.

"Fine. Fine!" Eric said, at last, and threw his key card and phone on the bedside table. "It's a good thing I don't have a roommate or I'd have a lot of explaining to do. You're pathetic, you know that?"

Apparently Jeff didn't mind being insulted as long as he had a human to spend the night with. Eric half expected to be kept up all night playing fetch or putting up with Jeff licking him, but as soon as he stripped off and got into bed, Jeff just jumped up and fell asleep right beside him. It was weird, Eric thought, and nobody would ever believe him, not even Marc. But all in all, this was pretty nice.

 

Eric woke up slowly the next morning, vaguely aware that there was another warm body crammed into bed with him but with no need to actually do anything about it, like open his eyes or move. He was rather suddenly jerked into consciousness by the sound of Jeff yelling "Fuck. _Fuck._ " and promptly falling out of bed.

"Jeff?" Eric said, blearily, leaning over to see. "You okay?"

"Don't look at me!" Jeff yelled, and shoved a hand in his face.

"Sure," said Eric, easily, and lay back in bed with an arm over his eyes. "Whatever. Do we have to get up yet?"

"Where are my _clothes?_ " Jeff wailed, and Eric could hear him rummaging through the pile of his belongings, probably throwing them around everywhere.

"I don't know. You don't put them somewhere you'll remember when you turn into a dog?"

There was a long silence, which Eric assumed was Jeff still searching, though he finally said "I tend to mess everything up, anyway. When I'm a dog. I like to play."

"I noticed."

Eric could hear Jeff pulling up his clothes, but it took him a moment to realise that Jeff had fallen completely silent this time, and uncovered his eyes to see Jeff standing next to the bed, now wearing the first T-shirt and boxers he could find, watching Eric as though he expected to get kicked off the team at any minute.

"We don't have to get up yet," Eric said. "You can get back into bed if you want."

Jeff just stared at him some more. "You're not mad at me?"

"It's not like you bit me."

He sat down gingerly on the edge of the bed, and Eric sighed. Apparently it was time to get up after all. He dragged on his own shirt and then pulled Jeff into a hug.

"It's okay, kiddo. I completely understand why you wouldn't tell me that you turn into a small dog at full moon."

Jeff sighed and finally hugged him back. "So you're not mad at me?"

"That's what I just said, isn't it?" Eric patted his hair and Jeff leaned into it, instinctively, eagerly. "It is the full moon, right? It's like a werewolf thing?"

"Yeah. Only I'm a were-poodle," Jeff pulled back and gave him a half smile. "Pretty embarrassing, huh?"

"Pretty cool though. I like dogs." Eric rubbed the back of his neck thoughtfully. "You really don't need to keep paying for hotel rooms out of your own pocket, though."

"I don't need the team to know," said Jeff, quickly. "And I don't want any special treatment, it's not even every time we're on the road...."

"Well, I know. And I get my own room," said Eric, mildly. "Of course, you can have one to yourself if you want. But it seemed like you might get a bit lonely spending the full moon by yourself. So if you wanted to stay with me next time it happens on the road, that'd be fine."

Jeff stood up and stared at him, his mouth hanging open with disbelief. "Are you serious?"

"Sure." Eric smiled at him again. "I told you, I like dogs."

He didn't even have a moments warning before Jeff tackled him back onto the bed. "You're the best captain," Jeff said, his voice muffled by Eric's shirt.

Eric smiled and patted the top of Jeff's head. Funny how easily he'd gotten used to that. "Well," he said, dryly, "I try."


End file.
